Trump administration appeals judge’s ruling against travel ban

The US Justice Department has filed an appeal notice against a ruling by a Maryland federal judge that partially blocked President Donald Trump’s new travel ban.

The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal with the district court in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Friday, two days after that court and one in Hawaii ruled that Trump’s travel ban discriminates against Muslims.

The department has not published any details about the notice, which is the step before a formal appeal lawsuit.

District judges in Hawaii and Maryland issued separate orders this week, freezing Trump’s efforts to close US borders to nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Although the ban was already restrained nationwide by District Judge Derrick Watson of Hawaii on Wednesday evening, the Maryland decision early on Thursday was another blow to Trump’s executive order.

Protesters gather at Washington Square Park in Lower Manhattan in New York City on Thursday on…